Basics of Food Safety

Keeping food safe for human consumption is not rocket science, all it takes is being cautious and utilising your common sense. Contrary to what many in the food industry think, it is not costly or time consuming and will ensure that your restaurant is not the source of sickness to customers.

A few basic Tips:

1. Keep it cold

Keep the fridge below 5oC and put any food that needs to be kept cold in the fridge straight away, do not leave it out at room temperature. Don’t eat food that’s meant to be in the fridge if it’s been left out for 2 hours or more.

2. Keep it clean

This applies to your hands, the utensils and kitchen equipment. Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before starting to prepare or eat any food. Keep benches, kitchen equipment and tableware clean and dry and don’t allow raw meat juices drip onto other foods. Separate raw and cooked food and use different utensils.

3. Keep it hot

Ensure that you cook foods to at least 600 C, until they’re steaming hot and when reheating foods ensure that they are steaming hot. When cooking meats like sausage, burgers and mince ensure that it is cooked throughout and no pink is left in the middle. When cooking chicken ensure the juices run clear.